Record sensing device



p 1951 H. H. KEEN 2,566,942

RECORD SENSING DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG, I,

w INVENTOR HAROLD H git/V "AM y ATTORNE P 1951 H. H. KEEN RECORD SENSINGDEVICE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1950 SECT \ON 4 IN V EN T OR.HAROLD A. AEE/V SECTlON 3 SECTION 2 FIG'IQCYCLE No SECUON I ATHJRNEY P1951 H. H. KEEN 2,566,942

RECORD SENSING DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 1950 7 SheetsSheet 5 s1 e [UNVENTOR. 87 58 87 as 87 meow 4x55 82 M M m m ATTORNEY? Sept. 4, 1951 H.H. KEEN RECORD SENSING DEVICE 7 Sheds-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 9, 1950 INVENTOR.

//AROLD b. KEE/V W 1; M

ATTOR/VK Y Sept. 4, 1951 Filed Aug. 9, 1950 H. H. KEEN RECORD SENSINGDEVICE 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 HAROLD KEi/V ATTORNEY P 1951 H. H. KEEN2,566,942

RECORD SENSING DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 FIG. I2.

osavssxszioxwrzzFeo PIS UCL LCL R 36 RE- SETTI LEVER 8S TRIPPED GRlPPERSCLO LEVER 96 TRIPPED GR\PPERS OPEN I N VEN TOR.

HAROLD M KEEN A TTORNEY Patented Sept. 4, 195i A 2,566,942 Record)SENSING DEVICE Harold H. Keen, 'Iletchworth, England, assignor toInternational Business Machines Corpora: tion, New York, N. 11, acorporation of New York Application-Auguste, 19.50:,- swarm. 178,428 InGreat Britain August 22, 1949 This invention relates toapp'aratus forsensingv record cards on which numerical or alphabetical data arerecorded. 7

In the well known punched card tabulating machine, cards are fed from asupply magazine past one or more sensing stations in which the; recordsare sensedand are then passed intoa card stack or stacker. Each card, assoon as it is fed from the magazine, is fed at uniformspeed. and thedata read depend on the time in the'cycle at which the data indicationsare sensed.

The principal object of the invention is a device whereby any card maybe diverted from its nor:- mal course between magazine and stacker and.after being sensed at the sensing station (or one of the sensingstations), may be passed a second time through the sensing station andagain sensed before being passed to the stacker.

Another object is a. device whereby any card:

may be passed any desired number of times through a sensing station andsensed thereat, the

number of passages being either predetermined for a plurality of cardsor determined for each card by a control record previouslysensed.

Another object is a device whereby a card, be;

tween two successive sensings at the same station,

is shifted in phase, so that in each column,,on

set of index positions is sensed at the first se nsg ing and a difierentset of index positions is sensed at the second sensing.

Data are most usually recorded by holes punched in the card, but theyare also recorded in commercial work by electrically conducting" marks,and may also be recorded by markssens'ed by light cells. In thefollowing description it] will be assumed that data are recorded bypunched holes, but the invention is applicable to the said other formsof recording.

The invention will be described in its applies tion to the well knownpunched card tabula 1151 machine, but it is applicable to other machinesin which cards are fed past a sensing station.

A cyclically operating machine having appfi ratus for feeding cards froma magazine to fa stacker past one or more sensing stations is char-'-acterized, according to the invention, bymeansf for diverting a cardfrom its normal course after a closed path including the said sensings'tation same sensing station.

A rotating contact roll at the said sensing ticn may have at its endsgrippers adapted when operated tb hold the card on to its peripheryiindlocated so that when they are not operated I card passes tangentially tothe roll along itsner Ina-l course and, when they areoperatedgthe cardis diverted from its normal'c'ourse by bein'g'held on the periphery ofthe roll. The V I, station may be thesecond of two. ng'stations throughwhich the card passes s uccessively, with nieans'ror feeding itast'thenrstse' iiig station andineans n feeding it past tr sedae'jseisin f station and a clutch devicebetween the two wjhich the grippersareoperated to cause thecard to be diyerted from its normal course ir'repeat'ejd sensing. When the sensing device actuates con;-

trol means for controlling printing data from a plurality of fields onthe card, means any beprovided for sensing the plurality of fiel ssuccessive cycles, whereby the printing i the data in .each field maybeefiected on a diiierentl line. Means may be provided, ,wh,e n acard'jis sensed twice ,ata sensing station, for effecting a phase shiftof the card between the twosensings. whereby different sets of indexpositions are sensed in the two sensings. The feeding means controllingthe rotation of therotating, contact may contain a differential gearandthere maybe means for turning one element ofthe differential gear toeffect a phase shift of the contact roll. v

Other objects of the invention will bepointed out thefollowingdescription andclaims and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings; which disclose, by way of examples, the principle of the Vinvention and the best mode, which has been contemplated. of applyingthat principle.

In the drawings:

Fig.'l is 'a side view of the gearing 'ofth'e'ffeed ing'apparatusoutside one end plate.

Fig. 2 is a view of the parts beyond the end of the gripper roll.

Fig.3 is a view of the end ofthe gripper-roll."

Fig, 4" is a section on the'line 4'- 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig'. 5 is acentral section through the end part of the gripper roll. I

Fig. 6 is a side view and part section of the said sensin 3 gearing fordriving the gripper roll, taken along the line 6-5 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 7 is a section along the line 'I--'I of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view of a detail of the gearing in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 and Fig. 9A placed one under the other in the order named form acircuit diagram of the electric circuits of the apparatus.

Fig. 10 is a part view of a card of which different fields are to beprinted on diiferent lines.

Fig. 11 is a part view of a card containing two independent records ineach column; and

Fig. 12 is a timing diagram. 1

Fig. 1 shows the gearing on the side plate 3 of the feeding mechanism ofa punched card tabulating machine, modified for carrying out theinvention. Gear Wheel 20 is driven continuously from the motor of thetabulator. It drives gear wheels 2!, 22 and 23. Attached to wheel'2l' isa wheel 24 which drives gear wheels 25 and 25. Wheel 26 is on the shaftof one of a pair of card feed rolls which drives the other roll throughthe gear wheels 21. Attached to the gear wheel 23 is a gear wheel 28which drives a gear wheel 23. All the gear wheels designated 25 to 29are continuously running.

The gear wheel 29 is loose on the shaft 53, but may be connected to itby the one-revolution clutch between the wheel and the plate i fixed tothe shaft. This clutch is of known construction and consists in the pawl52 pivoted to the plate 5| at 53, having a projection 54 for engagingthe notch 55 in a collar 53 on the wheel 29. The clutch is controlled bythe magnet 57, with armature 58 pivoted at 59. When the magnet is notenergized, the armature is in the position shown and the projection 69on the armature 58 is in a position to engage the projection El on thepawl 52, as the plate 5! turns counterclockwise, so as to turn the pawlclockwise, and withdraw the projection 54 from the notch 55, thusfreeing the wheel 29 from the plate 5i and shaft 59. On energizing themagnet 51, the pawl 52 is free to be turned by the spring 32 to engageprojection 54 in notch 55, to lock the shaft 59 to the wheel 29.Assuming that the magnet is de-energized before the shaft 59 hascompleted a revolution, the projection BI is caught by the projection 65to free the shaft from the wheel 29 after one revolution.

The gear wheels 30 and 3| are both fixed to the shaft 50. Wheel 39 turnsgear wheel 32 and wheel 3| turns gear wheel 33 which turns gear wheel34. Wheel 34 is on the shaft 63 of one of a pair of card feed rollswhich are geared together by gear wheels 35. Immediately below these isanother pair of card feed rolls geared together by the gear wheels 36;these are driven from the gear wheels 35 by an idle gear wheel loose onthe shaft 64, and not shown. The gear wheels 30 to 36 are all turnedwhen the clutch 5|, 52 is en,- gaged.

The gear wheel 32 is loose on the shaft 94, and carries ahalf-revolution clutch which enables it to be connected to the shaft bymeans of the plate 5la. Parts corresponding to the parts of the clutch5|, 52 are given the same reference nummerals, but with a lower caseletter following the numeral; the magnet, however, is not shown. Theonly material difference between the two clutches is that the collar56a. has two notches 55a, whereby the clutch can be engaged at either oftwo points in the revolution, and disengaged after half a revolution.

The collar 56a is on a gear wheel 49 which,

therefore, is turned when the clutch 51a, 52a is engaged. Wheel 45 turnsgear wheel 4|, which is fixed to gear wheel 42. These two wheels turn ona stud 65 held in a plate 36 which is supported on the studs 61 and 68.Wheel 42 turns gear wheel 43, which turns gear wheel 44, which is on theshaft of one of a pair of card feed rolls geared together by gear wheels45. Wheel 43 carries a crank-pin 59 and connecting rod 15. All thewheels to 45 turn when the clutch 51a, 52a is engaged.

Theconnecting rod 10 is connected with the crossheadand picker knifewhich is used in all punched card tabulating machines for picking thecards one by one from the magazine and delivering them to the first pairof feed rolls driven by gear wheels 45. The line H is that followed bythe cards in their normal passage from the magazine to the stack, and,designating the feed rolls by the gear wheels driving them, the cardsare fed along this passage by the feed rolls 45, 35, 36 and 2?. They arefirst sensed by the upper brushes, at the point I2, and, a cycle later,by the lower brushes at the point 13.

When a card is to be sensed a second time by the lower brushes, it isgripped by a gripper roll at the point (3, taken around by the roll andbrought again past the point 13, where it is sensed a second time. Theposition of the gripper roll is indicated by the dotted circle 89.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5, to a scale twice that of Fig. 1, show the gripper rollwith devices for gripping the card.

The gripper roll 89, with bearings BI, is turned by a gear wheel on theend 82 (Figs. 4, 5 and '7). The card I passes between the feed rolls 35(Fig. 3), and between guide plates 83 to touch the periphery of thegripper roll. A row of brushes 84 passes through slots in the left handguide plate 83 to press against the card I, so that contact is madebetween a brush and the gripper roll whenever a hole in the card passesunder the brush. The brushes and the left hand guide plate are not shownin Fig. 4, which is a section along the line 4--4 of Fig. 3. The twoends of the grip per roll are similar. Each is formed by a block ofinsulating material 85. Pivoted in slots 86 are six grippers 81. Thecommon pivot of these grippers is a wire 88 held in a circular slot byscrews 89. As shown in Fig. 5, each gripper is acted on by a springpressed plunger 90, which tends to turn the gripper into the positionshown at the right hand side of Fig. 5, in which the claw 9| is pressedagainst the surface of the roll. By means to be described, wherebypressure is applied to the cam surfaces 92 of the grippers, they can beheld in the positions shown at the left of Figs. 4 and 5. In thisposition, as seen in Fig. 4, the card i is free of the claw, but, if thegripper were made free to turn under the action of the plunger 90,.theclaw would move to grip the edge of the card against the roll.

If a card is to be sensed only once in the lower sensing station, thegrippers 81 are not operated, and then the card passes straightdownwards, to be fed to the card stack.

. If, however, a card is to be sensed a second time, the gripper 81a isoperated to grip the card, approximately when the leading edge of thecard has passed the brush 84, as shown in Fig. 3. As the gripper roll isturned, the next gripper 81b is operated, and similarly all six grippersat each end of the roll are operated in succession to hold the card tothe periphery of the roll. Guide pieces 93 are provided at intervalsalong the roll aseema to keep the whole-length for the'eard close to theperiphery of the-roll.

*When the run; has-made a complete turn the leading edge of-the card isbrought a-second time under the "brushes and the whole card is sensed asecond time. lf the-card is-=to--be--sensed--a third timeithe grippersare left; in their operative position.

1 Figs-'6 and '7' show the sideplate ofthe feeding mechanism,- with thegearing'on theinside otthe plate. The gear wheels shown on the outsideas in Fig.- l are omitted" from Fig r- 7 -with-.the exception of gearwheel which is one of the wheels continuously-driven.fThese-iigures-are-to the same scale as Fig'L- 1. "I-"he gripper-101L811is supported byits bearing -8 l-f-(Fig.--4) ina plate- 31 (Fig. 7)attached to the side plate" 3. on J the end 82 (Fig. 4) =18 fixed a-gearwheel::38 =which is turned by the gear wheel 39- en the stud: 46. Thiswheel is turned by thegeanwheel: l'lpwhich is fixed-to thegear wheel-48;both turning on the sti1d49[ 'Whe'e1 48 is turned by'the gear wheel-14on the shaft 15. The gearing shown to the-1eft in-Fig. '7- isforthe-purpose otgivinga phase shift to the cardand: is not required,for' the. example to be first described. :I-ts explanation willthereforebe postponed, and it willbe'assumed .thatgear wheel ltisfastontheshaft 15, sothat. the grippen roll 80 is turned: continuously:from the gear wheel 22, through the-gearing just described.

Fig; 2 shows thecam' levers whichv operate;:the grippers on:thezgripperroll. .The 'lview. is looking at the sideplate.3|..(F-ig.-7) from the gripper roll, this being omitted,- but its.position indicated bythe dotted eircleBfl.

Two cam levers 16. and flliare ."pivoted; 9.175113 and' -pressedcounterclockwise ibylsprings :19. Theyare both. held against the.springsp19. by the armature. of. the grippermagnetv GM. When this. isenergized, the two levers .16 ,andr'llturn or tendto turn into thepositionshowm-in dotted lines. zWhenthelevers are intheir full lineposition-their cam surfaces .9 5 and Share at a radius at V which they,engage the cam. surfaces 92 (Fig.

5) pf the grippers to open them, that is to say, to keep their-hooks 9|clear of thesurface of the gripper roll. When themagnet GM- isenergizedto enable the levers to taleeu'p their'dottedline position,the surfaces95 and96 are clear, of the cam surfaces of the grippers ;.and jthese,"therefore,

remain in their normal closed position.

" Referring to Fig. 3, a pin '91 islocated on the edge of the gripperroll to engagetwo lugs'98 and,99 on thelevers. as the roll'turns,andrestore the levers to their'full line position. The

position of the pin QT'when engaging the lug QQ onlever 96', and afterhaving re set'leverlfiyis shown" in dotted -lines. The line of passageof the cards is shown by -the dotted line I, and the point -at which thebrushes 84 (fig. 3) contact the card or roll by 13.

*Ifiwhenthe pin 91 is in the-position shown,

the magnet GM be energized, the-lever 16' alone will be released toallow any gripper-reaching the horizontal position to'close. If-themagnet tionsthe different index-positions in -which-'records can bemade.In-each column there are 12indexpositions which are sensed in the order9 to 9 andX and Y. The index'positions-l) to 9 are used for recordingnumerals. Letters arerecorded-by two holes ormarksina-column,--according to the well known four-zonecode, one or" theindex positions 0; X. Y-heing used in-conjunction with one of the indexpositions 9 to l-to represent letters of the alphabet. The-records areshown diagrammaticallyhy small circles at the index positions;-In-co1umn l, a-record-ismade at -index position '4, toindicate thatthe" name and address 1138430138 printed in four successive lines;-Incolumns 2 to 8,-a-control' number I 2 3 4-5 l is recorded.The-'remainder'oflthe ai) columns in the card is divided intofour-sections, comprising respectively columns 9 23, J 21- 44, 454256340. The above-mentioned name'and address isshown recorded-in theseseetions eaeh section being allocated-to matter-to-be printed on asingleline.

Hitherto it has generally been customary,-in printing-from record cardsinvoices or-notices ofinsurance policy premium, to use a pluralityof'cards-for the name and address, the'matter recorded-on successivecards being printedon successivelines. --By means of 4 the invention asinglecard, as shown; may beused' for-this purpose instead of fourcards. -A cardorcardsfollowing'the address cards contain detaiIs-of'theinvoice or'the amount of the premium, and this matter is sensed andprinted in the" customary way.

Figs: 9 and-9A together are circuit diagrams of the'tabulating machinewhich cause a'name'and address, as in-Fig. 1'0,to be printed infoursuccessive lines in four successive cycles-of the-machine.

-Figr12 showsthe-times in each cycle ofthe machine at which the variousoam-contacts'and card-levers-close and open their contacts. The timesare indicated by the index point positions and the periods of closure ofcontacts are indicated'hy a heavy line.

*The two supply lines are 6 and I; themotor -"M isconnected-across theseby the switch shown and runs continuously.

It-is assumedthat cards'in a magazine are ready to be fed to the sensingstations-,'-the-"f irst cardbeing a name and address card as in Fig.

"10. The start key is pressed to complete a circuit from-line 6 throughrelay], start-and-stop key contacts I01, H32 and camcontacts-PZ-toline-1, contacts -P2 closing near the end of a cycle. 'ContactsiA thenclose to hold-relay 2 energized through cam contacts PL-which are torthe half --revolutionclutch are the feed and auxiliary feed magnetsrespectively. When,

therefore, these are energized, all the gear wheels of- Fig. 1- rotate iand the connecting rod ll} feeds the first card to the feed rolls whichfeed it past the upper sensing station at the-point l2.

The startkey is kept closed to maintain-the circuit ofrelay 2 during theopening of'Pi and-P2. The firstcard,-when fully in theupper sensingstation, closes the contacts of the upper-.card lever UCLat the end ofthe cycle. .i'This :-completes a circuit from line 6 through relays land II to line 1,- and there is a holding circuit for these relaysthrough contacts HB and cam contacts P9. Contacts HEB close to form ashunt across contacts Pl, enabling the start key to be released withoutbreaking the circuit of relay 2.

The upper sensing station i shown with contact roll 9, and brushesconnected to plug sockets l2, which are shown connected to plug socketsl3. The contact roll 9 is connected through contacts UCLA (closed whencards are passing), line I90, circuit breakers CB (Fig. 9A) and camcontacts T to line 1. During the passage of the card, column I is sensedby a brush (opposite the numeral on the contact roll) connected throughsockets l2 and I3 to the center brush l4 of a commutator l5. Lines IDIfrom points 2, 3 and 4 on the commutator (corresponding to indexpositions 2, 3 and 4, respectively, on the card) are connected throughcontacts SD.2B, 3B and 4B and through relays SD.4, 3 and 2,respectively, to line 6. In the present example, a 4 is recorded incolumn I, and therefore a circuit is completed from the 4 point on thecommutator to energize relay S114, and, simultaneously, through contactsDAB, to energize relay D.4. If the name and address had required only 3or 2 lines. 3 or 2 would have been recorded in column I, and then relaysSD.3, or 2, and D3, or 2, respectively, would have been energized.

Relay SD.4 being energized, its make-beforebreak contacts SD.4B arechanged over, thereby holding the relay through cam contacts P4.Contacts SDJEA also close to complete a circuit from line 6, summaryrelay S, contacts SB and SD.4A to cam contacts PM and line I. It may benoted that the relay S is thus energized whichever of the SD relays isenergized. Relay S changes over its contacts SB to connect the relay toline i through contacts CS.A. Thus relay S is held energized tillcontacts CSA open, which is after the four lines of address have beenprinted; relay SD.4, however, is de-energized when contacts P4 open atthe end of the cycle.

Contacts SA of the summary relay open the circuit of the auxiliary feedmagnet, thereby stopping all gear wheels 40 to 45 in Fig. 1, andstopping the feed of cards from the magazine, the second card beingstopped in the upper sensing station.

, It was mentioned that D.4 relay was energized simultaneously withrelay SD.4. Its contacts DAB change over to connect the relay to line 1through contacts CS.A. Also its contacts D.4A close to complete acircuit from line 6, through cycle relay 04, contacts D.4A and camcontacts RM to line 1. Relay 0.4 then closes its contacts C4.B toconnect the relay to line 1 via cam contacts P15, and also via aparallel circuit through contacts C3.C, 02.0, C i .C and CS.A.

The card is now entering the lower sensing station, its lower edgeapproaching the sensing point 19. Relay C4 being energized, the plugsockets 102 (Fig. 9A) are connected to line 1 through cam contacts P1and contacts 20. A plug socket I02 is connected by the plug connection(shown as a dotted line) to contacts D4A which are now closed and byplug connections I93 and cam contacts Pl'l to the gripper magnets GM.When, therefore, P.I| contacts close just before Z (Fig. 12) the grippermagnets are energized to release the levers 95 and 96. At this moment,however, the two levers are being re-set by the pin 91, but the pinreleases lever 95 before the gripper magnets are de-energized. Lever 95,therefore, turns into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, inwhich its cam surface is clear of the grippers, while lever 96 remainslatched in the position shown in full lines. At this moment also, thefirst gripper (81a in Fig. 3) is approaching the cam surface of lever 96and a little later (after E in Fig. 12) the cam surface is engaged toopen the gripper as indicated in Fig. 12. At the beginning of the nextcycle, when the front edge of the card has just passed the sensingpoint, the first gripper moves clear of lever 96 and, since lever istripped, closes to grip the card. The card and the first gripper 81a arethen in the positions shown in Fig. 3. The second gripper 81b is at thismoment opened by lever 96 and in turn closes when reaching thehorizontal position. Similarly the other gripper closes in turn,thus'holding the card around the periphery of the gripper roll.

As the card advances, its records are sensed in the lower sensingstation, and those in the first section of the card have to be printedin this cycle. In Fig. 9A, 14 is the gripper roll, which serves also ascontact roll, and this is connected to line 1 through cam contacts T5,the circuit breakers CB and the lower card lever contacts LCL.A, nowclosed. Numerals on the roll [4 indicate columns on the card, only somebeing shown. The brushes on columns 9 to 26 are connected by plugconnections I5 through contacts RZA, R3A and R4A (as shown), plugconnections I1, contacts FAA (as shown), print magnets PM.9 to 26 toline 6. These print magnets are those operative in known printingmechanisms to control the printing, as the result of the printing magnetreceiving one impulse in a cycle for printing a number or impulses forprinting a letter. A printing apparatus of this type is shown anddescribed in U. S. Patent No. 2,076,713, for example, to E. A. Fordissued April 13, 1947, in connection with an interpreter adapted toprint on a card the information recorded thereon by punched holes.

A little'after lin the cycle, cam contacts Pl6 close to complete acircuit from line 6, through cycle relay C3, contacts C4.A, shifted, andcam contacts P46 to line 1. Contacts C3.B then shift to provide aholding circuit through contacts C2.C, CLO, 08A to line 7. At the sametime, contacts C3.C open and leave relay C4 holding through contactsP15. P.l5 and FIG both open at X, and then relay C4 is de-energized,while C3 remains energized.

Cycle 3 relay C3 also closes its contacts C3.D which complete a circuita little before Z from line 7, cam contacts PJ, contacts C3D and D4.C,cam contacts P18 and gripper magnets GM to line 6. Cam contacts P.l8give a longer contact than contacts RH, with the result that the grippermagnets remain energized till after pin 91 has released lever 99.Consequently both levers 95 and 96 are released to take up their dottedline positions as in Fig. 2. As a result, when the front edge of thecard reaches the position shown in Fig. 3, the card is held by grippers81b as well as by grippers 81c and is securely held on the gripper-rollfor another turn of the roll.

The closingrof contacts C3.D also closes a circuit through contacts D413and relay R4 to line 6. Relay R4 then changes over its contacts R.4Awhich disconnects the print magnets PM.9 to 26 from the brushes oncolumns 9 to 26 and connects them, respectively, to the brushes oncolumns 21 to 44, which contain the second line of the address to beprinted. Relay R4 also changes over.

the contacts RAB to provide a holding circuit via cam; contacts 'Tfwhichbreak after Y;

Similarly, ingthenext cycle; cycle relay ,C2 is energized and: relayGlide-energized; A circuit is thencompleted' through," contacts C2.DjandD4 .D and'through' cam" contacts ;P.I8 to, the gripper magnets, and,also through contactsDLF torelay R23." This re-lay changes overitscontacts R;3A to connect" the print'magnets PM.9 to 26"I't0 thebrlushes'on columns 45 to 62, which contain the thirdiline of-theaddress'to be printed, and also changes over contacts R33 to ,providethehoidingcircuit via T8.

snnnany again, "in the next "cycle, cycle relay C I is energized andrelay, 3C2 "dc-energized and,

by-similar' circuits, contacts RLZA are changed over to connect theprint magnets to the brushes on columns 63to" 80,*to' print the fourthline of the" address. Thereis no circuit through contacts CiLDTto the.gripper :nets and the "grippers thereforeopennear the end of the cycleand remain. open. A, little after I in the cycle, when contacts' R'IBjclose; --a circuitis completed from line 8, through relay 6S; contacts,C I -.A (now closed); CLA, CSJA and CIA and camcontacts PI'I'B "toline-,1. Relay CS has a holding circuit through" its contacts CS .B andcam contacts PA. 'CohtactsCS'A open;-and putrelay CI'under control ofcam contacts P.I5 Via contacts CLB (closed);C21B;*C31Band CLBj-and thecircuit is broken when" PI5 "opens at The circuits through "contacts CED'to C I .D are all broken. Contact's 321A remain closed until after Y,when the'hoid-circuit'to relay R2 is-broken byTscontactsopening Theopening of contacts PSI 5 also "breaks the circuit or--relay"S- andits-contacts SA close to complete, the circuit through the auxiliaryfeed magnet, ,so' that when P3 closes towards the end Since-the grippersarenot; closed, the first card w ll-l no longer bej held to the gripperroll and will be-fe'd to 'the'sta'ckfwhile the following car'dgwill be"reu to the lower sensing station.

There will now be explained the Auto control deyice-by-which the correctsorting oi? the cards is checkednamely -that the detailcard orcardsfollowing "the address card-"have the same control number? Thecontr'oknumber-recorded in columns-2 to 8 of the cards'is sensedby-brusbes 1n; botlnthe upper- 'and lower sensing stations. Only threebrushes areshown, connected to' plug sockets I 2 *frbmwhieh plugconnections are made to -plug sockets-4 3. These -plug A sockets intheupper 'sta tidnmre connected to one winding-of the differential relaysAI, A5, A1, respectively, and the plug sockets'=l3 in the lower stationare connected by lines I 8 to the other winding. The two windingsopposeeach other, so that, if the samedi'git is sensed simultaneously inthe two sensing stationsin'tlie same column of two cards; the relay A isnot energized. one or more of the relays Ais or are energized only ifdifierent digits; indicating difierent control numbers, are sensedat;the two stations-5* The Zrelays- "A close contacts A I .3", A5 .3, A1.13 iniithe tcircuitsmf holding I windings -AH on the same "core-"as.the differential windings; thereby holding the relaysthrough camcontacts PA. 7

The relaysiA'also operate contacts AI- A, A5 A, ATIfiA connected in'series "and a plug connection I9 ismade fromcontacts AI .A to plugsocket I63. So'long'as no :relay A'is energized as a result ofdirte'ringi controi: numbers, a circuit is completed ir mlineffii plugsocket I 63, plug connection I s,

the series of AA contacts and relay It to line I.

If relay I 6 be de-energized asa result of differing control numbers,itsjcontacts-IGA close to complete a circuit from line I, cam contactsT-i, contacts ISA, relay '5 to line 6. Relay} then opens its contacts 5Ain the startcircuit and 5B in the feed magnet circuit to stop operationof the machine.

During the passage of-the first card-through the upper sensing station,the relays AI, A5, A! ar all energized'because there is no card at thelower station. To maintain relay I6 energized during the period whenthere-is no card in the lowerstation, the series of contacts AI.A toAI.A isshunted by a circuit through switch 8 and contacts LCL.B,' whichare closed until the lower card lever is operated by a card in thelows-r sta tion; The series of contacts is also shunted by contacts SCwhich areclosed during the sensing of the address data.

Referring to Fig. 9A, th print magnets-PMAS to PM.62 are. shownconnected to the brushes on columns 45. to 62 through contacts IPC.A.These ma nets may be employed to print items from the detail cardsfollowing the address card." Relay I PC is energized during the printingof the address by a circuit from linerfir relay cflntacts SD (closedduring the, address printing), cam contacts P1 and contacts-2C (closed).Thereby'contacts IPC.A are. opened to. disconnect print magnets PMABtofiZ duringthe address printing. A holding circuitfor relay IPC isprovided through contacts IPCB and camjcontacts'l fi. During the itemprinting, printmagnets PMS to 26 are disconnected from the plug{connections I! by the change over of contacts'FLA which is effectedwhen relay Fl is energized by the circuit through contactsSE andcamvcontacts P1. Contacts SE are closed when address cards are not beingof the) cycle, this feed "magnet will be energized. sensed. A holdingcircuit for relay FI is made through contactsv FIB and cam'contacts T6.

There will now be describedthe. second example of a use to which the,invention may be put, Fig. 11 shows a portionof a card of known type inwhich two independent data are recorded in each column of the sectionmarked C of the card. Sections A and .Bare purely explanatory, and fromthese it will be seen that there are two sets of index positions in acolumn. For the set shown in section A, the values of the, indexpositions are shown at the left edge of, the card, while forthe otherset the values are shown on the right. The number 245 is shown recordedon the, set in section A and the number 351on the set in section B. Thetwo numbers are shownrecorded in section ,0 which represents theactualcard, The set of index positions, shownin' section A will be termed theupperset, because the index positions are higher up on the, card, andthe ,other set will be termed the lower set. The lower set will be read.in the upper brushes, and the machine may be arranged to sense the cardtwice. in the lower brushes. This may be done by recording a2 in acolumn, as described for the, address cards, or, if every card is to besensed twice, plug socket I 5'! may be connected to plug socketIMpinstead of connecting plug sockets I2 and I3. A connection is alsomade between. sockets] 65.;

Between the two sensings inthe lower brushes, however, the card, must beshifted relatively to the cycle of the ,maohine so that on the firstsensing the brushes sense the lower set of index positions at thecorrect times, in the cycle, while the brush circuit is broken by thecircuitbreakers CB when thebrushes pass over the'other set,

11' On the second sensing, the brushes must sense the upper set at thecorrect times. The necessary phase shift is effected by the differentialgearing shown on the left in Figs. 7 and 8, and the wheel 14 must now beregarded as loose on the shaft 15.

An arm I05 is fixed to shaft 15 and carries a short shaft I86. On theupper end of this is fixed a gear wheel I01 (Fig. 7) engagin a gearwheel I 08 fixed to the wheel 14. On the lower end of shaft I06 is fixeda gear Wheel I09 engaging a gear wheel IIII loose on the shaft 15. Ifthe wheel Ill] be assumed to be held stationary, the rotation of arm I65, causing wheel I09 to roll around wheel III], will rotate wheels I08and 14, and turn the gripper roll 80.

The wheel II is normally held stationary by an arm III fixed to its hub,and the arm is held stationary by the armature I I2, pivoted at I I 4,of a magnet I I3. If the magnet I I3 be energized, the arm III movesinto the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, thus turning thewheel I I0 counterclockwise, and altering the phase of the drive fromwheel 22 to wheel 14, so that the card presents the upper set of indexpositions to the sensing brushes at the correct times in the cycle.

For re-setting the differential gear, a gear wheel II5 is fixed to theshaft 15 and engages a gear wheel H6 on a shaft II'I turning in a bush 8fixed to the plate II9 supporting the magnet H3 and armature H2. Theshaft II1 carries an arm I20 (Fig. 8) which, as it turnscounterclockwise, engages th projection I2I on the arm III and restoresit to the position in which it is latched by the armature I I 2.

In describing the operation of sensing an address card four times, itwas assumed that the wheel 74 was fixed to the shaft 15. In a machine,however, in which both address cards such as the card of Fig. 10 andcards such as the card of Fig. 11 may be used, the differential gearingjust described, with wheel 14 loose on the shaft 15, is fitted, themachine being adapted for the address cards as long as the magnet I I3is not energized.

Assuming that a plug connection has been made from I04 to IE1, at 9 inthe cycle, circuits will be made from line 1, cam contacts T5 (Fig. 9A)circuit breaker CB, line I00, contacts UCLA (Fig. 9B), plug connection II-I61, relays SD2 to line 8 and contacts D2B, relay D2 to line 1. RelaySD2 will set up relay S and relay D2 will hold through contacts CS.A ina similar manner to that already described.

The plug connections I03 to the distributor relays R4, R3 and R2 areremoved since no distribution between brushes and print magnets isrequlred. Consequently during this cycle no circuit is made throughcontacts C2D, until cam contacts P1 and PI I close after Y. The rippermagnets GM then receive a short impulse to cause sequential release ofthe grippers as described.

Towards the end of the next cycle, relay CI is energized under controlof PIE and contacts CID are closed. When contacts P1 close, a circuitwill be made from line 1, contacts 20, cam contacts P1, contacts CID,contacts D2D, plug connection between sockets I65, magnet DI F to lineThe magnet DIF is that designated I I3 in Fig. 6. Thus the energizationof the magnet causes a change in phase of the feed as already geszcribedto allow of sensing the second set of While the invention has beenillustrated and described as a device for causing a record to pass aline of sensin brushes repeatedly for repeated sensing of data in thefields thereof, it will be appreciated that instead of a line ofbrushes, there could be provided a line of printing wheels or otherrecording elements to efiect recording on the record within the spiritof the invention,

What isclaimed is:

1. In a cyclically operating machine, apparatus for feeding records in anormal course from a magazine to a stacker, a sensing station locatedintermediate of the magazine and stacker in the line of travel of saidrecords, and means for diverting a record from said normal course afterit has been sensed at the sensing-station, comprising means for movingsaid record one or more times in a circular path tangential to saidnormal course.

2. In a cyclically operating machine, apparatus for feeding records in anormal course from a magazine to a stacker, a sensing station locatedintermediate of the magazine and stacker in the line of travel of saidrecords, means for diverting a record from said normal course after ithas been sensed at said sensing station, comprising means for turningsaid record in a complete circular path including said sensing stationone or more times and to position said record at a sensing position atthe termination of each turning.

3. In a cyclically operating machine, apparatus for feeding records in anormal course from a magazine to a stacker, a sensing station locatedintermediate of the magazine and stacker in the line of travel of saidrecords, and means including an element at said sensing station formoving said record in a closed path including said sensing station oneor more times after it has been sensed at said sensing station.

4. The mechanism of claim 1, said moving means comprising a rotatingcontact roll situated at said sensing station and having record grippersat each end, and magnet controlled means for operating said gripperswhich hold the record on to the periphery of the contact roll whenoperated.

5. In a cyclically operating machine, apparatus for feeding recordscarrying control designations in a normal course from a magazine to astacker, a sensing station located intermediate of the magazine andstacker in the line of travel of said records, means for sensing saidcontrol designations, and means for diverting a record from said normalcourse after it has been sensed at the sensing station, comprising meansfor moving said record one or more times in a circular path tangentialto said normal course.

6. The mechanism of claim 5, said moving means comprising a rotatingcontact roll situated at said sensing station and having record grippersat each end, and magnet controlled means for operating said gripperswhich hold the record on to the periphery of the contact roll whenonerated. I a

, '1. In a cyclically operating machine, including a plurality ofsensing stations positioned intermediate of a magazine and stacker,means for feeding a record in a normal course past the first of twosensing stations, means for feeding the record past the second sensingstation, a pair of clutch devices, one for each record feeding means forcontrolling its operation, and means controlled by a record at the firstsensing station to activate the clutch device controlling the feedingmeans for the second sensing station independe ently of the clutchdevice for the first sensing station, whereby the record i led. in adiverted travel-of-said records, a rotating 'contact rollsituated at thesecond of two sensing 'stationsia record gripper at =each-end iof- -saidroll, means responsive to a sensingofa controldesignation at tHefirstsensing statidn" for operating said grippers thereby diverting tli'erecordfro'm dts normal course and holding it to the periphery ofsaidcontact roll which move's said record "one or more times in acircular path tangential to said normal course at the second sensingstation, the value of the control designation determining the number ofrotations of the contact roll during which the grippers are operated tocause the record to be diverted for repeated sensing.

9. In a cyclically operating machine, apparatus for feeding recordshaving a plurality of fields and carrying control designations thereonin a normal course from a magazine to a stacker, a sensing stationlocated intermediate of the magazine and stacker in the line of travelof said records, means for diverting a record from said normal courseafter it has been sensed at the sensing station, comprising means forturning said record one or more times in a circular path, including saidsensing station to position said record at a sensing position at thetermination of each turning, means responsive to a sensing of a controldesignation at the sensing station for determining the number of times arecord is moved past the sensing station, and means for sensing theplurality of fields successively upon successive movements oi.

the record past the sensing station, whereby the printing of dataderived from each field is e1- Iected on a different line of saidrecord.

10. In a cyclically operating machine, apparatus for feeding recordscarrying control designations in a normal course from a magazine to astacker, a plurality of sensing stations located intermediate of themagazine and stacker in the line of travel of said records, meanspositioned at the second of two sensing stations for diverting a recordfrom said normal course after it has been sensed at the second station,comprising means for turning said record one or more times in a circularpath including the second sensing station to position said record at asensing position at the termination of each turning, means responsive tosensing of a control designation at the first sensing station fordetermining the number of times a record is moved past the secondsensing station and means for sensing the plurality of fieldssuccessively upon successive movements of the record past the secondsensing station, whereby the printing of data derived from each field iseffected on a different line 01. said record.

11. In a cyclically operating machine, apparatus for feedin recordshaving a plurality of sets of index positions and carrying controldesignations thereon in a normal course from a magazine to a stacker, asensing station located intermediate of the magazine and stacker in theline of travel of said records, means for diverting a record from saidnormal course after it has been sensed at the sensing station,comprising means for turning said record one Or more times in a circularpath including said sensing station to position said record at a sensinposition at the 1'4 'termination ofieaon turning, meansresponsive to asnsingi "of a'"contr'ol" designation at the-sens ing istation for"eifecting a phase shift oi said turning'nieans between two 'sensings,whereby different sets 'of index" positions arepresente'd' at sensed attrie sensingstation; comprising means for turningsaid record "one or'more times iii-a circulafpath including'said sensing" station toposition said record at a sensing position at the termination of eachturning, means for effecting a phase shift of said turning means betweentwo sensings, whereby different sets of index positions are presented atthe sensing position in the two sensings.

13. In a cyclically operating machine, apparatus for feedin recordshaving a plurality of sets of index positions and carrying controldesignations thereon in a normal course from a magazine to a stacker, asensing station located intermediate oi the magazine and stacker in theline of travel of said records, means for diverting a record from saidnormal course after it has been sensed at the sensing station,comprising a rotating contact roll for holding the record on itsperiphery and turning said record one or more times in a circular pathincluding said sensing station to position said record at a sensingposition at the termination of each turning, a differential gearconnected through gearing to said contact roll and means responsive to asensing of a control designation at the sens ng station for turning oneelement of the diiferential gear thereby effecting a phase shift of sa dcontact roll between two sensings, whereby different sets of indexpositions are presented at the sensin position in two sensings.

14. In a machine of the class described, a supply magazine, a stacker,means for advancin a succession of records from said magazine to saidstacker along a predetermined path, a record sensing element located insaid path, means for diverting the records from said path at a pointbetween the element and stacker, feeding the same in a secondpredetermined path to a point on the first predetermined path betweenthe magazine and element, and returning them to the advancing meanswhereby the record will be fed by said advancing means past the sensingelement a second time.

15. The invention set forth in claim 14 in which control means isprovided to render said diverting means selectively effective to divertany of the records.

16. The invention set forth in claim 15 and further control means torender said diverting means repeatedly effective to cause a record topass the sensing element a predetermined number of times prior to itsreturn to the advancing means.

17. In a machine of the class described, a supply magazine, a stacker,means for advancing a succession of records from said magazine to saidstacker along a predetermined path, an element located in said path,means for diverting the records from said path at a point between theelement and stacker, feeding the same in a second predetermined path toa point on the first prede termined path between the magazineandelement, and returning them to the advancin means whereby the recordwill be fed by said advancing means past the element a second time.

18. In a cyclically operating machine, apparatus for feeding recordshaving a plurality of sets of index positions in a normal course from amagazine to a stacker, a sensin station located intermediate of themagazine and stacker in the line of travel of said records, means fordiverting a record from said normal course after it has been sensed atthe sensing station, comprising means for turning said record one ormore times in a closed path including said sensing station toposimination of each turning, means for effecting a REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,434,512 Page et a1 Jan. 13,1948 2,493,858 Carroll et a1 Jan. 10, 1950 Ghertman Mar. 21, 1950

